Stroke Center Questions

Does the hospital have a stroke response team available 24 hours a day, seven days a week?
Are the hospital's emergency physicians specifically trained to diagnose and treat acute stroke?
Are emergency physicians capable of treating acute ischemic stroke patients with intravenous tissue plasminogen activator (tPA) within one hour of their arrival at the hospital?
Is the tPA treatment described above available 24 hours a day, seven days a week?
Does the hospital offer coordinated stroke care beyond the evaluation in the emergency room?
Is a neurosurgeon on call 24 hours a day, seven days a week?
Does the hospital have someone on staff who can perform and interpret brain imaging (a CT scan or MRI) 24 hours a day, seven days a week?
Is the hospital laboratory open 24 hours a day, seven days a week?
Does the hospital measure and track patient outcomes, conduct regular evaluations, and improve programs accordingly?
Does the hospital staff responsible for treating stroke patients receive at least eight hours of continuing medical education each year?

Page 2 of 10 Vital Things to Look for in a Stroke Center


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